Sorry this chapter took a bit longer to get to you. I meant to post it yesterday but life, work and family got in the way. As ever, thank you for all your ongoing support. I love this fandom!

Chapter 14

As they left the house and walked away an awkward silence fell over the pair. Sherlock kept a fast pace and Molly had to almost run to catch up until in the end she tugged on his arm forcing him to stop.

'What is it now Molly?' He said frowning at her and sighing impatiently.

Molly bridled at his attitude but tried to keep things calm, 'listen Sherlock, I'm sorry if I was unprofessional in there. I...I shouldn't have questioned what you were asking, but I felt hurt when you spoke to me like that. I expect a little more respect.'

He sighed again and looked off into the distance before his gaze returned to her face. 'I need to be able to do my job how I see fit Molly...but having said that, I apologise for snapping at you. It's just going to take us both a bit of getting used to I suppose.' He turned and starting walking again before giving her a side glance and a smirk, 'and what was with you putting your hand on my knee? Were you marking your territory by any chance Doctor Hooper?'

She gave him a similar look and smile, 'might have been...damn, I'm sorry about that too.'

'Don't be, I liked it.' He reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze.

Molly was still smiling happily to herself when she felt Sherlock tense slightly. She looked up at him quizzically but he was keeping his eyes straight ahead. At the next street he turned left before ducking them into a small alley behind the row of houses. A moment later as a figure went past Sherlock reached out and pulled him in slamming him against the wall.

'Who are you and why are you following us?' He said to the youngster who was grappling at the arm Sherlock had placed across his chest, leaning his weight on him to keep him in place.

'I'm sorry, I'm sorry it's just I saw you leaving Lily's house. You're the detective aren't you, the one from London?'

'Yes, still doesn't explain who you are? But I'm suspecting I know, you're the boyfriend, Karl I presume.'

The lad just nodded looking wide eyed and terrified. Sherlock relaxed a little standing back and watching as the kid got his breath back and straightened his clothes. 'So, as to why you are following us, you're obviously scared, you've seen something or know something about Lily's disappearance and you don't know what to do with that information. Am I right?'

'Jesus, they said you did this stuff in the paper but I didn't believe it was true. Yeah, yeah you're right I've seen something but I'm not sure you'll believe me.'

'Try us.'

Karl looked round, 'can we go somewhere else, somewhere more private? I don't want anyone to overhear us. My house isn't far and my mum's at work so it's empty.'

Sherlock made a sweeping gesture with his hand, 'fine, lead the way.' He gave Molly a shrug as the lad passed and they both followed behind.

He was right; he only lived five minutes away so it didn't take long to get there. He lived in a much cheaper looking house than Lily. It looked as though it had once been a workman's cottage; little more than a two-up, two-down. He led the way in and showed them into an untidy front room. Molly moved a few magazines and perched on a chair but Sherlock just leant against a wall watching Karl as he sat himself on the edge of the settee running his hands through his mousy brown hair.

'Right, see. I know what people are saying. They thought me and Lily had run off together and then when I was seen that's changed to them saying I've done something to her or know where she is but I don't. I haven't got a clue where she is and I KNOW she wouldn't have gone off without telling me. We were in a good place; things were progressin' if you get my drift.' He eyed Sherlock mutinously as though daring him to contradict him.

Sherlock just nodded, 'go on.'

'So, after the police had gone it didn't look like anyone cared. I didn't know then that Lily's mum had spoken to you. I...well, I decided to see what I could find out. See, I didn't trust her step-dad. He was always sayin' bad stuff about me, trying to get Lily to end it. So a few days back I'd been watching the house, looking out for Lily when he came out. It was late, I'd been just about to go home, so it was about ten o'clock. I decided to follow him.'

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Molly leant forward and put her hand lightly on his knee, 'it's OK. We've heard weird stuff before, just tell us.'

He smiled shyly back at Molly and the smile lit up his face. Molly could suddenly see what Lily must have seen in him.

'He went down to the edge of the woods down on the south of the village beyond the pub. He seemed to be waiting for someone so I hid and kept watch. Five minutes later he was joined by Meredith Baker from the pub and another man, I didn't recognise him though. The other guy was carrying some kind of bag over his shoulder. Anyhow, they all went off into the woods. I shoulda just gone home, but it was odd, strange and I was bored...so I went after them.'

'They walked for about ten minutes until they reached a clearing. It was easy enough to position myself behind a tree and watch. The two guys went and uncovered something from the bushes and dragged it into the middle. It looked like one of them old-fashioned anvils, you know like you see in blacksmiths.' He looked at Molly who nodded in encouragement.

'Lily's step-dad strips off his shirt so he's naked to the waist and then they get the thing out of the bag and lay it on the anvil. That's when I realised it was alive. It was a cat, howling and screeching it was but they'd tied up its legs so it couldn't get away.'

Molly put her hand across her mouth suddenly not sure if she wanted to hear anymore.

'They all started chanting in some weird language then Hugh lifts up this wicked sharp knife, I saw it glinting in the moonlight then he just slit the cats throat. I thought I was going to be sick but what they did next was even worse. The other guy's got some kind of bowl and he catches the blood. He uses it to make some markings on Mr Bennett's chest and on Meredith's forehead. Then, I swear to God I'm not lying, they took it in turns to drink the blood.'

'And...' Sherlock spoke up, making Molly jump slightly, she'd been so lost in her own horror at what she'd heard.

'And that's it, then I went home.'

'No, no you didn't. What happened then?'

Karl blushed bright red, he cleared his throat and glanced at Molly looking embarrassed.

'Don't mind Molly, she's heard worse, tell us what happened next.'

'They had sex...all of them, together I mean. It's like they were possessed or something I'm not even sure who was shagging who. One of the guys pushed Meredith to the floor and climbed on her, though she wasn't protesting, then the other guy,' he cleared his throat a second time and stared fixedly at the carpet, 'the other guy, well he started wanking over them at first but then he...well, he started shagging the guy who was shagging Meredith.'

'I couldn't watch anymore, it just seemed wrong. All of it just seemed wrong.'

'Have you told anyone else about this?' Sherlock asked standing up and taking a step towards the lad, 'be honest, this is very important. Does anyone else know?'

'Nah, who the hell am I going to tell? Who would even believe me?'

'And this other man, can you describe him at all?'

'No, I never saw his face. He had a hoody on the whole time, he didn't strip like the other for sex, just got his junk out...sorry.' He suddenly said to Molly blushing as he did.

'It's OK. Like Sherlock says, I've heard worse.'

'He was about the same height as Hugh but slimmer, he seemed...yes, he seemed younger. Moved easier.'

Sherlock took out his wallet and fished out some money, 'you need to leave the village now, today and don't tell anyone, not even your mother where you are going. By all means leave her a note so she knows you're safe but say nothing about this.'

Karl and Molly both stood now facing Sherlock. Karl had automatically taken the money but now he looked fearfully back and forth between the two of them, 'but...where the hell am I gonna go? I don't know anyone outside this place.'

Sherlock took out one of his cards and wrote something on the back. 'Go to this address in London. I'll call ahead and let my friend, John Watson, know that you're on your way. He will arrange to keep you safe. You can come back here in a couple of weeks when it's all over.'

Karl nodded but looked so young and vulnerable that Molly couldn't help but wrap him up in a big hug. 'John's nice. You'll be fine...just do what Sherlock says.'

Sherlock had been checking his phone but Molly saw him looking at the two of them with narrowed eyes and an unhappy expression until Molly let Karl go, looked like she wasn't the only one with jealousy issues.

'The next train is in just under an hour, I suggest you start packing. First though, draw me a map showing how to get to this clearing then we'll be off.'

Karl did as Sherlock asked and then they took their leave. As they did none of them noticed they were being observed.

MHMHMHMHMHMHMHMH

Sherlock looked at his watch and then back at the map as they walked away. The weather had turned and the rain was starting to fall.

'Right, let's see if we can track down Hugh at the golf club. We can check out the clearing later when the weather's likely to be better.' He flicked up the collar of his Belstaff and shoved his hands in his pockets, 'why can't they have more cabs in this place, I haven't walked this much in decades.'

Molly laughed at his disgruntlement, 'come on, walking's good for you.'

'No it's not, walking is boring. It takes us far too long to get anywhere. We should have hired a car.'

'How about if you stop grumbling I'll massage your feet and maybe more than that when we get back to the pub.' She smiled slyly at Sherlock who perked up suddenly, losing the sullen look that had been on his face, 'what else exactly will you massage?'

'I'll tell you on the way, now come on. You can buy me dinner at the golf club as well because I'm starving.'

Hope you liked the creepy flashback to the goings on in the woods. I'll be back soon with another update. Oh and sorry if you're a cat lover, my own cat was giving me frosty looks as I wrote this chapter, almost like she knew what I was typing.